Brake lever and lock



(No Model.)

J. L. BARKER. BRAKE LEVER AND LOOK.

Patented M21123, 1891.

Ill? NiTnn STATES FFicE.

BRAKE LEVER AND LOCK.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,600, dated March 3, 1891.

" Application filed May 19,1890. Serial in. 352,274. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN L. BARKER, acitizen of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake Levers and Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in brake levers and locks, and has for its object to produce an operating-lever for brakes which shall be simple in construction, composed of a small number of parts, capable of being manipulated and locked by means of a single lever without the employment of a spring-actuated finger-bar, and which shall be effectivev in operation.

A further objectis to producea brake lever and lock which may be manipulated and locked by means of a single lever and without the employment of springs.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of my invention, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the locking-device. Figs. 3, 4., and 5 are views of certain details.

A represents a segment provided on its upper edge with a series of notches a and a notch 6 near one end of said segment made deeper than the notches a, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

At one end of the segment A a socket B is made integral therewith or secured thereto, and projecting outwardly from said socket is a flange or projection, which forms a step 0. Projecting from one end of the quadrant A, preferably at the end at which the whip-socket B is formed, is an arm I), which terminates at a point in line with the center of the quadrant, and at the free end of this arm a socket c is made for the reception of the lower end of an operating-lever E, which is loosely pivoted in said socket and adapted to have a slight lateral movement. Projecting at right angles from the arm D at a point between its ends is a plate or projection, which forms a step F. The lever E extends upwardly from its pivotal connection in the socket 0, across the quadrant A, to a point in convenient reach of an operator andthrough'a locking device G, mounted on the quadrant.

In constructing this locking device a yoke H is provided in its side walls with slots (Z c, through which the quadrant A is adapted to pass, the slot c being made shorter than the slot d and the upper wall of said slot 6 being beveled to produce a tooth f, adapted to engage the notches in the segment. Thus it will be seen that the yoke H constitutes in effect a dog or pawl. Beneath the slots d e a socket l is made, in which socket a spring 2 is located. Located in the socket l and adapted to be normally forced upwardly by said spring is a plate 3, having ears 4. at each end. The plate 3 bears against the quadrant Aaud by means of the spring 2 the tooth fwillbe maintained normally in engagement with the teeth of the segment. The under face of the top 9 of the yoke H is beveled, as shown in 2, and projecting from the yoke and forming a part thereof is a box H, having its upper end beveled or inclined in lines parallel with the inclination of the under face of the top as shown in Figs. 2 and i. The outer wallof the box H is inclined,as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, to permit the operating-lever to have a lateral movement, as presently explained. At the inner end of one of the side walls of the box H a recess h is made to produce a shoulder h, in which recess the edge of the operatinglever is adapted to normally rest to prevent lateral movement of said lever at an improper time. Passing through the yoke H over the quadrant A is a cam-block J, having a slot t' in its center, through which the operating-lever is adapted to loosely pass. At the inner end the block J is provided with alugwhich projects beyond the block and into an opening in the inner wall of the yoke H. The lug j also projects above the upper face of the block, and is provided with an inclined face j, adapted to lie parallel with theinclined under face of the top g of the yoke. The outer portion of the block J is preferably made hollow and the lower edges thereof are beveled or inclined and adapted to lie parallel with the inclined upper end of the box H. When the lever and locking device are in their normal positions and the brake is unlocked, the tooth fol the yoke II will be in the notch Z) of the quadrant. In this position of the lever the yoke will be supported upon the quadrant by the block J, so that the tooth will not extend to the bottom of the notch 11. By this means the end or point of said tooth is prevented from undue wear, caused by friction on the quadrant, when the parts are in their normal positions. The draw-rod which connects the opcrati ng-lever with the brake mechauism is preferably connected to said lever at a point between its pivotal connection and the locking device G.

I When it is desired to apply the brake, the operating-lever is grasped and moved rearwardly, the toothfengaging the notches in the segment A.

\Vhen it is desired to release the brake, the operating-handle is grasped and first moved slightly rearwardly to move it out of the recess 7i, and then laterally, whereupon the engagement of the cam-block J with the beveled top g of the yoke II will cause said yoke to be raised and the toothf moved out of engagement with the notches of the segment, when the operating lever can be readily moved back to its normal posit-ion.

lIavin g fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a brake-operating lever and a quadrant, of a pivoted lever extending across said quadrant, a yoke on the quadrant having a tooth to engage notches in the quadrant, and a cam-block in said yoke, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a notched quadrant, of a yoke thereon having a tooth to engage the notchesin the quadrant, a cam-block passing through said yoke, and a pivoted lever passing loosely through the yoke and camblock, substantially as set forth.

The combination, with a notched segment, of a yoke thereon having abeveled top and a beveled box projecting outwardly therefrom, a block having a beveled projection to lie parallel with the beveled top and a beveled portion to lie parallel with the beveled box, and a lever passing through the yoke and cam-block, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a notched segment, of a yoke thereon and having a tooth to engage the notches in the quadrant, a camblock passing through said yoke, and a pivoted lever passing loosely through the yoke and cam-block, said yoke being provided with a recess in which the lever is adapted to new mally rest, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with abrake-operating lever and a quadrant, of a pivoted lever extending across said quadrant, a yoke on the quadrant having a tooth to engage notches in the quadrant, a cam-block in said yoke, and a spring to maintain thetooth in engagement with the quadrant, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J OIIN L. BARKER.

\Vitnesses:

JNo. W. KNIGHT, ERASTUS G. PECK. 

